GDLC Audio

God is all about life and the things that lead to greater amounts of quality and flourishing of life. At its core the commandment says we are not to take matters of death into our own hands but also leads us to desiring greater amounts of quality and flourishing for all people. As we look around the world, we see the devastations that many people face that rob them of the quality and flourishing that our God desires. The way we honor our God is to honor, seek after, sacrifice for and give generously to all things that pertain to life and that really is the Heart of the Matter.  

To honor your father and mother with your words and actions is to carry a humble attitude of esteem for their position. God values the roles of fathers and mothers so much that He included them in the commandments, so it is worth paying attention to it. We are commanded to honor parents, but this doesn’t mean we have to imitate ungodly ones. We honor our parents for the position they were given by God to be our protection and provision on His behalf, and it is good for our hearts to remember the Heart of the Matter this week. 

The word Sabbath comes from a Hebrew word meaning “day of rest”. On the last day of creation God looked at all He had made as very good and then rested from His work. “To keep it holy”…this four-word phrase in English is only one word in Hebrew which means to consecrate, set-apart or sanctify this day. We keep the Sabbath set-apart as a reminder that we have been set-apart as God’s own people. His heart of love, protection & provision are upon us and this day is Holy because it’s a day to allow our hearts to rest in His…and this is the Heart of the Matter. 

The word Sabbath comes from a Hebrew word meaning “day of rest”. On the last day of creation God looked at all He had made as very good and then rested from His work. “To keep it holy”…this four-word phrase in English is only one word in Hebrew which means to consecrate, set-apart or sanctify this day. We keep the Sabbath set-apart as a reminder that we have been set-apart as God’s own people. His heart of love, protection & provision are upon us and this day is Holy because it’s a day to allow our hearts to rest in His…and this is the Heart of the Matter. 

Many people believe that using the Lord’s name in vain simply means using His name as a swear word, but it is much more involved than that. In the Old Testament, a person's name refers to their nature, attributes, or the totality of their being. To honor God’s name is to place Him in a place of ultimate respect in our lives. We respect the name of God by not pulling it into the ordinary things of this world or using it to convey feelings that don’t align with His heart. The respect of our God is what aligns our hearts with His and we also take His name in vain when we, who bear the name of Christ as Christians, misrepresent His Heart to the world and so we see it is a Matter of the Heart.